SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCES
Unusual Experience – China’s
"Sampan Navy"
-Training personnel to operate
amphibious craft to be
eventually given to Chinese by
USA as reported by noted WWII
War Correspondent Hal Boyle: six
days a week, Chinese officers
and 20 boarded the LST for
instruction in navigation and
operation. American officer was
assigned each Chinese officer
& enlisted man to each
Chinese sailor. Stayed together
for all classes, while a dozen
interpreters surmounted language
barrier. (Ed. Note: have you got
a mental picture of this
operation??). After a couple of
months (hopefully!?) Chinese
would be ready to take the ships
to sea alone. (High point: The
Commander of the U.S. 7th
Fleet, Generalissimo Chiang
Kai-Shek of China, Madame
Chiang, and General Albert C.
Wedemeyer came aboard to inspect
LST 1050! On Feb. 1946).
He and his wife, Marge,
lived in Sutton Walk. |
Wayne
Gibbs passed away at Lexington in 1999.
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